NFL free agency is right around the corner and begins on March 11, when negotiations can take place, and then contracts can be signed starting on March 13.
Pro Football Focus recently published a piece identifying potential landing spots for the top pending free agent edge defenders.
One of those is former Clemson defensive end Clelin Ferrell, who checked in at No. 163 on PFF’s list of the top 200 players slated to hit free agency this offseason.
PFF pegged the Chicago Bears and New York Jets as potential landing spots for Ferrell, who signed a one-year deal with the San Francisco 49ers ahead of the 2023 season after spending the first four seasons of his NFL career with the Raiders.
“Ferrell had a decent year on a more talented defensive front than the one he played with in Las Vegas to start his career but was still slowly phased out of the rotation at the end of the season. Nonetheless, he’s a big defensive end with great character, which fits the Bears’ mold,” PFF wrote.
“Ferrell goes from San Francisco to the Jets, where perhaps Robert Saleh can find a role for him akin to Solomon Thomas lining up more on the interior once arriving in New York.”
A 2019 first-round pick (fourth overall), Ferrell started all 17 games he played in with San Francisco this past season, tallying 28 total tackles, six tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, 13 quarterback hits, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and one pass defended.
Ferrell’s 2023 season came to an end after he suffered an injury prior to the NFL playoffs, as the 49ers placed him on injured reserve due to the knee injury he sustained against the Los Angeles Rams in the final week of the regular season.
Ferrell, who has posted 133 total tackles, 21 tackles for loss and 13.5 sacks over 75 career NFL games, completed his Clemson career (2015-18) with 166 tackles, 50 tackles for loss, 27.0 sacks, 51 quarterback pressures, seven pass breakups and five caused fumbles across 44 games (all starts).
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